The Canadian delegation at
the current climate change talks taking place in Bonn, Germany, has made it
abundantly clear that the Harper government will not honor our commitment to the
Kyoto Protocol. What makes this even worse is that Canada is currently chairing
the two-week long session that is simultaneously looking at both the1994 UN
Framework Convention of Climate Change (which was supported by 189 countries)
and the 1997 Protocol, which was designed to strengthen the Convention with
legally binding targets.

It is important to note that
less than twenty years ago, Canada led the world at the 1987 Changing
Atmosphere Conference in Montreal. It was at this conference that the international
community recognized that human activity was threatening to destroy the ozone
layer. With Canada’s leadership, a consensus was reached to eliminate
ozone-depleting substances such as chlorofluorocarbons. The result was nothing
short of miraculous. Despite the industry’s opposition that it couldn’t be
done, and that the economic costs would be devastating, we did it. Brilliantly.
The result is that we averted a global catastrophe, our international economy
is stronger than ever, and the hole is the ozone layer is showing signs of
improvement. It should also be noted that it was a Conservative government that
made this all happen.

How far our once visionary
and courageous nation has fallen. From leading the world and making a
difference, to misleading the world and making excuses. Rona Ambrose, Canada’s
Environment Minister and chair of the Bonn talks said,

“Canada's position is that we
support the two-year assessment period that is going to commence after the
meetings in Bonn right now, and a number of countries are supporting that
assessment period as well, and then we will, after that, decide whether or not
we can make further [Kyoto] commitments.” Huh?

She added, “We have an
excellent international negotiating team in Bonn right now, and they are acting
in the best interests of Canada, and I have full confidence that they will do
what's needed.”

Ms. Ambrose misses the point entirely. This isn’t about what’s in Canada’s best
interests. This is the global community gathering together to reach a consensus
on what we can do to stop (or at least slow down) the single greatest threat to
life on this planet. International boundaries will be meaningless in the face
of dramatic global climate change.

The process has already
begun. With the worst hurricane season in history only months behind us, the
forecast for this year is even worse. This week, climatologists have predicted
that hurricanes of the 2006 season will increase in both frequency and
severity, even beyond the magnitude of last year’s killers. The polar ice caps
are melting at an unprecedented rate, and the weather is getting weirder almost
everywhere you look. Last week while Western Canada basked in mid-summer
temperatures, Eastern Ontario saw the mercury dip just above the freezing point,
while at the same time, rainy old England was rationing water.

Meanwhile, back in Bonn, our
leaders fumble while the world slowly burns. Perhaps someone should hand Ms.
Ambrose a fiddle.

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Earlier this month, the
Harper government cancelled its support for the highly successful Energuide for
Houses (EGH) program, including low-income housing support and the popular
rebate program for residential homes. The EGH incentive program was one of the
leading lights in Canada’s energy conservation strategy that rewarded
individuals for voluntary leadership, supported community-based outreach and
the development of a conservation industry. For more information, visit Green Communities Canada

To voice your opposition to
Harper’s cancellation of the EGH program, or to voice your concern about
Canada’s position on Kyoto, email the Prime Minister at pm@pm.gc.ca. Don’t forget to send a copy to
Environment Minister Rona Ambrose at Rona.Ambrose@ec.gc.ca

Fortunately, there are
leaders who are willing to stick their necks out and be counted. Former US
Vice-President Al Gore has embarked on a fervent crusade to halt global
warming's deadly progress in its tracks by exposing the myths and
misconceptions that surround it. His journey is the subject of a new
documentary, “An Inconvenient Truth”, that will be coming to theatres across
North America in June. For more information, including screening dates and
locations, visit An Inconvenient Truth.